(AQW 1481/01)

The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Ms de Brún): During the last 10-year period, the net book value of equipment donated to Health and Social Services Trusts amounted to £5.5m. Donated assets include those bought with legacies and donations from individuals in addition to those provided by charitable organisations.

Le 10 bliain anuas, is é luach glan trealaimh de réir an leabhair a bronnadh ar Iontaobhais Shláinte agus Sheirbhísí Sóisialta ná £5.5m. San áireamh leis na sócmhainní bronnta tá iad siúd a ceannaíodh le leagáidí agus le hairgead bronnta ó dhaoine aonair chomh maith leo siúd a sholáthair eagraíochtaí carthanachta.

(AQW 1623/01)

Ms de Brún: The Strategic Review of the Ambulance Service, which was published in February 2000 made over 70 recommendations to improve ambulance services.

Since then the Ambulance Service has made steady progress in taking forward the rolling programme of change envisaged by the Strategic Review Group. For example, proposals for the replacement of its existing mobile radio structure with digital trunk radio are already well advanced, as are plans for the introduction of a Medical Priority Dispatch System. Over the past three years an additional £6million has been made available to enable the Ambulance Service to modernise its fleet. This money has contributed to the purchase of over 80 new A&E and patient care vehicles bringing to over 100 the total number of new vehicles brought into service since 1999. Progress has also been made on a range of management and personnel issues.

Further work was needed to fully cost and provide a more detailed analysis of a number of the key recommendations to facilitate implementation. This work has now been completed and the document "Implementation of the Strategic Review of the Ambulance Service" brings forward fully costed proposals for implementing the major changes needed to modernise ambulance services. This period of consultation provides an opportunity to inform the public and interested parties about the outcome of the earlier consultation process and to invite their views on the new proposals.

Rinne an tAthbhreithniú Straitéiseach ar an tSeirbhís Otharchairr a bhí foilsithe i mí Feabhra 2000 breis agus 70 moladh leis na seirbhísí otharchairr a fheabhsú.Ó shin i leith bhí an tSeirbhís Otharcharr ag dul chun cinn go seasmhach leis an chlár leanúnach athruithe a thabhairt chun tosaigh mar a chonacthas don Ghrúpa Athbhreithnithe Straitéisigh. Mar shampla, tá moltaí ann chun bonneagar láithreach raidió a athsholáthar le trunc-raidió digiteach i bhfad chun cinn cheana féin mar aon leis na pleananna don Chóras Seolta de réir Tosaíochta Míochaine a thabhairt isteach. Le trí bliana anuas cuireadh £6 milliún breise ar fáil sa dóigh go mbeadh an tSeirbhís Otharchairr in ann a cabhlach a nuachóiriú. Chuidigh an t-airgead le breis agus 80 feithicil nua T&É agus Cúram Othar a cheannach a chiallaíonn go bhfuil breis agus 100 feithicil nua tugtha isteach le haghaidh úsáidte ó bhí 1999 ann. Rinneadh dul chun cinn ar réimse ceisteanna bainisteoireachta agus pearsanra.

Bíodh sin mar atá, bhí obair bhreise de dhíth chomh maith chun costais roinnt de na príomh-mholtaí a obair amach agus anailís níos mine chun cur i bhfeidhm a éascú. Tá an obair seo críochnaithe agus tugann an doiciméad "An tAthbhreithniú Straitéiseach ar an tSeirbhís Otharchairr a Chur i bhFeidhm" moltaí chun tosaigh a bhfuil an costais oibrithe amach chun mórathruithe a chur i bhfeidhm atá de dhíth leis na seirbhísí otharchairr a nuachóiriú. Tugann an tréimhse comhairlithe deis chun an pobal agus páirtithe leasmhara a chur ar an eolas faoi thoradh an phróisis comhairlithe a tharla níba luaithe agus fáilte a chur roimh na barúlacha s’acu ar na moltaí nua.

(AQW 1793/01)

Ms de Brún: I am very much aware of the pressures facing nursing and residential homes. I am at present looking, in the context of my budget for 2002-03, at the scope for allocating some extra money to the sector.

Is maith a thuigim na brúnna ar altraí i dtithe altranais agus i dtithe cónaithe. Faoi láthair tá mé ag scrudú, i gcomhthéacs an bhuiséid s’agam do 2002 – 03, na bhféidearthachtaí chun tuilleadh airgid a dháileadh ar an earnáil.

(AQW 1795/01)

Ms de Brún: I am informed that the Ambulance Service Trust has no plans at present to recognise the Ambulance Service Union.

Tugadh le fios dom nach bhfuil pleananna ag an Iontaobhas Seirbhís Otharchairr faoi láthair leis an Cheardchumann Seirbhís Otharchairr a aithint.

(AQW 1803/01)

Ms de Brún: This information is not collected centrally.

Ní bhailítear an t-eolas seo go lárnach.

(AQW 1804/01)

Ms de Brún: This information is not collected centrally.

Ní bhailítear an t-eolas seo go lárnach.

(AQW 1807/01)

Ms de Brún: Information is only routinely collected on occurrences of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) bacteraemia which are isolated in hospital laboratories. Figures for the last three calendar years for each hospital laboratory are detailed in the table below.

Ní bhailítear eolas ach go rialta ar theagmhais de bhaictéireacht Staphylococcus Aureus Methicillin Frithbheartach (SAMF) atá ar leithlis i saotharlanna otharlainne. Léirítear go mion na figiúirí do na trí bliana deireanacha sa tábla thíos de réir gach saotharlann otharlainne.

(AQW 1813/01)

Ms de Brún: Information is available on numbers of children aged two years or under who were resident in each Board on 31 March in each year and who had not had MMR immunisation before their second birthday. These figures are detailed in the table below.

Tá eolas ar fáil ar líon na bpáistí 2 bliain d’aois nó níos óige a chónaigh i ngach Bord ar 31 Márta i ngach bliain agus nach bhfuair imdhíonadh MMR roimh a ndara breithlá. Léirítear go mion na figiúirí seo sa tábla thíos.

(AQW 1814/01)

Ms de Brún: Total resources made available for the Learning Disability programme of care in the last two financial years was as follows:

Seo a leanas na hacmhainní iomlána curtha ar fáil don chlár cúraim Mhíchumais Fhoghlama sa dá bhliain deireanacha airgeadais:

(AQW 1815/01)

Ms de Brún: I will be announcing my detailed deployment of the 2002-03 HPSS budget shortly. I have already indicated, however, that I shall wish to see investment in community services for people with a learning disability, so that they can enjoy more suitable living arrangements outside hospital (where that seems appropriate). The Eastern Health and Social Services Board will receive its equitable share of the funding made available for that purpose.

Beidh mé ag fógairt dáileadh mion mo bhuiséid SSSP don bhliain 2002-03 ar ball. Chuir mé in iúl cheana féin áfach gur mhian liom feachaint chuige go mbeadh infheistíocht i seirbhísí pobail do dhaoine a bhfuil míchumas foghlama orthu sa dóigh go mbeidh siad ábalta cónaí i gcóiríocht mhaireachtála níos fóirsteanaí taobh amuigh den otharlann (mar a meastar go bhfuil sin cuí). Gheobhaidh Bord Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta an Oirthir a sciar cothrom féin den mhaoiniú a chuirfear ar fáil don chuspóir sin.

(AQW 1816/01)

Ms de Brún: I have no plans at present to introduce NHS Direct here. The introduction of an equivalent scheme here would cost around £3 million per year. I am not convinced that this would give the best value for money, bearing in mind the other competing bids for Health Service resources.

Níl pleananna agam NHS Direct a thabhairt isteach anseo faoi láthair. Chosnódh a mhacasamhail de scéim thart faoi £3 milliún sa bhliain. Níl mé cinnte gur seo an luach is fearr ar an airgead, ag cur san áireamh tairiscintí eile atá san íomaíocht d’acmhainní seirbhísí sláinte.

(AQW 1817/01)

Ms de Brún: I refer the Member to the answer given to AQW 1603/01.

Treoraím an Ball do mo fhreagra a thug mé ar AQW 1603/01.

(AQW 1822/01)

Ms de Brún: In light of the problems at Greenwood House Assessment Centre, the Green Park Healthcare Trust made available two occupational therapists on a part-time basis to assist with the workload. The Eastern Health and Social Services Board is undertaking a review of occupational therapy services to develop a longer term strategy to address the wider issues of the shortfall in occupational therapy services.

Mar gheall ar na fadhbanna ag Ionad Measúnaithe Theach Greenwood, chuir Iontaobhas Cúram Sláinte na Páirce Glaise beirt Theiripithe Saothair ar fáil ar bhonn páirtaimseartha le cuidiú leis an ualach oibre. Tá athbhreithniú á dhéanamh ag Bord Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta an Oirthir ar sheirbhísí teiripe chun straitéis fhadtéarmach a fhorbairt le dul i ngleic leis na ceisteanna níos leithne maidir le heaspa seirbhísí teiripe saothair.

(AQW 1823/01)

Ms de Brún: The information is as follows:

Mar a leanas atá an t-eolas:

(AQW 1828/01)

Ms de Brún: I am aware of Mr Milburn’s recent announcement. Under the scheme that he announced, the Department of Health in England and the National Assembly in Wales are committed to increasing access to these drugs from their current level of 3% to 12%. This is in line with Association of British Neurologists guidance as to the proportion of MS patients who are likely to benefit from such treatment

The level of provision already stands at 12% here. Therefore, I would expect that our current level of budget would be maintained. However, we are participating in the Risk Share Scheme that Mr Milburn announced and expect this to lower the cost of this drug treatment as it comes into operation.

Tá fógra déanach an Uasail Milburn ar eolas agam. De réir na scéime a d’fhógair sé, tá an Roinn Sláinte i Sasana agus an Tionól Náisiúnta sa Bhreatain Bheag geallta do mhéadú i so-aimsiú na ndrugaí seo óna leibhéal reatha de 3% go 12%. Tá sé seo de réir treoir Chumann na Néareolaithe Briotanacha maidir le coibhneas na n-othar Ilscléaróise is dócha a bhainfidh tairbhe as a leithéid de chóireáil.

Tá leibhéal an tsoláthair anseo ar 12% cheana féin. Mar sin de, bheinn ag súil go gcothófaí leibhéal reatha ár mbuiséid. Tá muid ag glacadh páirte sa Scéim Risk Share a d’fhógair an tUasal Milburn áfach agus tá muid ag súil go n-ísleoidh sí seo costas chóireáil na ndrugaí seo agus í ag teacht i bhfeidhm.

(AQW 1829/01)

Ms de Brún: In answer to part (a) this information is not collected centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The information for (b) is detailed in the table over.

Mar fhreagra ar pháirt (a) ní bhailítear an t-eolas seo go lárnach agus ní féidir é a fháil ach ar chostas díréireach. Tá an t-eolas do (b) léirithe sa tábla thíos.